Kernan Family Dental is a Jacksonville based family dentist practice that treats patients of all ages. We are committed to delivering the highest quality dental care and do so using advanced dental equipment. We are a cosmetic dentist that offers services like checkups, teeth cleaning, crowns, veneers and more.

Dr. Susan Prater grew up in Roswell, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia from 2001-2005 and graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 2009. Dr. Prater devotes her time to providing the highest-quality care for patients of all backgrounds. She is currently a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, Southside Dental Society, Zimmer implant study group and Jacksonville Womens Dental Society.

Yari has been a dental assistant since 1999 and loves her job to this day! She strives to make every patient experience as comfortable as possible. When shes not spending time with patients, she enjoys the company of her husband, Luis, and children, Javier and Alexandra.

Tonja has been a member of the Kernan Family Dental team since 2015. Tonja is a Certified Register Dental Hygienist, practicing dental hygiene since 1999. She truly enjoys educating her patients on how to maintain a healthy smile, treating them with kindness, gentleness, and TLC. When she's out of the office, she and her husband love traveling. She also enjoys exercising and spending time with family and friends.

Stephanie has been practicing as a dental hygienist since 2013. She has a passion for building long-lasting relationships with her patients and teaching them ways to keep their smile for a lifetime. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, instructing indoor cycling, and watching FSU football. GO NOLES!

Leslie has been a registered dental hygienist since 2008. She hopes to motivate her patients with their oral hygiene and tries to provide gentle care. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two little boys. Her motto: Floss the ones you want to keep!

Julia is from Chico, California and is new to Jacksonville Florida. She loved going to the dentist at a very young age and decided to make a career out of it! Julia has been a dental assistant for Kernan Family Dental since June 2019. She went to school in Ponte Vedra Beach at Dental Careers Academy. In her free time, she loves to explore Florida with her boyfriend and go to the beach with her German Shepard.

The team at Kernan Family Dental believe in the importance of preventative care. We focus on keeping patients in good oral health so that they can live a full, healthy, and enjoyable life that is free from oral pain. This starts by educating our patients on what they can do to stay healthy at home. In our family dentist office we recommend that patients eat a healthy diet that consists of green leafy vegetables, lean protein, nuts, dairy products, and crunchy fruits and veggies. Eating these foods along with drinking water can help to keep teeth healthy and make them stronger. By simultaneously reducing sugar intake, patients can also reduce their risk of cavities.

It is also important to brush and floss throughout the day. Instead of waiting for bedtime to brush teeth, carry a small toothbrush and use it after meals and snacks. This makes it possible to remove sugar and bacteria from the teeth and gums before it has the opportunity to turn into acid that can attack the teeth. This preventative step can greatly reduce a persons' risk of getting a cavity or gum disease. We understand the importance of taking these steps at home and will spend the time necessary to educate and inform patients so that they can stay healthy overall. Education, after all, is essential for living a long and healthy life.

Understanding the importance of these regular dental exams, the staff at Kernan Family Dental work to make each patient extremely comfortable. This includes being welcoming and kind while performing dental treatments in a way that is painless and relaxing. Patients visit our dentist office because they trust us to do just that take care of their teeth and gums, gently. The majority of our patients are local and come from the greater Jacksonville area, we also see patients that are looking for gentle dental care.

Seniors, on the other hand, often struggle with gum disease and oral infections. As people age, their teeth can become weaker and infected more easily. Bone loss is incredibly common with seniors and by conducting regular dental exams, the team at Kernan Family Dental can help seniors to have strong teeth and reduce the risk of them falling out. Since over seventy percent of U.S. adults suffer from tooth loss, preventative care is important.

A. Primary, or 'baby,' teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to come in.

A. First, rinse the irritated area with warm salt water and place a cold compress on the face if it is swollen. Give the child acetaminophen for any pain, rather than placing aspirin on the teeth or gums. Finally, see a dentist as soon as possible.

A. Sealants work by filling in the crevasses on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This shuts out food particles that could get caught in the teeth, causing cavities. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years.

A. Have your family dentist evaluate the fluoride level of your child's primary source of drinking water. If your child is not getting enough fluoride internally through water (especially if the fluoride level is deficient or if your child drinks bottled water without fluoride), then we may prescribe fluoride supplements.

A. Soft plastic mouthguards can be used to protect teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sport related injuries. A custom-fitted mouthguard will protect your teeth from injuries and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head.

A. There is very little risk in dental X-rays. Family dentists are especially careful to limit the amount of radiation to which you and your family are exposed. Lead aprons and high-speed film are used to ensure safety and minimize the amount of radiation. Digital x-rays provide an even greater level of protection by using up to 90 percent less radiation.

A family dentist is a general dentist who cares for patients of varying ages. The care and services that they offer cater to both young and old patients, which makes them a versatile resource for entire families to utilize. Keep reading to find out why to visit a family dentist.Outlined below are a couple of

An emergency dentist can provide the treatment that you need when you find yourself dealing with a loose tooth. A loose tooth is just one step away from falling out of its socket, so it requires emergency dental care.Lost adult teeth that fall out need to be quickly replaced to avoid issues that often come

An emergency dentist is a great resource to make use of when dealing with an infected tooth. If infections go ignored, they can become significantly worse. There are a lot of signs to look out for when trying to determine whether a visit to an emergency dentist is necessary. These signs should be reviewed so

CEREC crowns have become a popular choice among individuals looking to repair or restore teeth that have become damaged or decayed. These types of dental crowns offer an array of advantages that other restorations cannot bring to the table. However, because they are still considered to be rather new to dentistry, some individuals have questions

Appearance is not the only benefit of wearing Invisalign for straighter teeth, since straighter teeth can also benefit one's oral health. In fact crooked teeth can trap food between them and lead to infection or bite issues. At Kernan Family Dental, we offer Invisalign as a treatment for patients interested in discreetly straightening their teeth.

Invisalign is a series of clear aligner trays that cover the teeth, similar to a retainer or mouth guard, but are much more discreet. At least every two weeks or so, the patient will switch to the next set in the series of Invisalign trays. With the custom aligners for each patient, Invisalign will gradually push the teeth into the right position without causing significant amounts of pain.

After creating the trays, we will then meet with the patient to ensure that they fit and that the patient understands all of the steps in the straightening process. It is important that the patient understand a few key factors about wearing Invisalign on a regular basis.

While the patient can remove Invisalign trays when necessary, the patient will want to keep them in as much as possible. The longer the patient does not wear the trays for, the longer the entire process will take. Patients need to remove the aligner trays when eating and to brush the teeth.

Patients can also remove the aligner trays to play in a sports game, give a presentation, go on a date, or while taking a photo. It is important to at least rinse the mouth after eating to keep food from getting caught in the teeth.

The patient will be able to continue through each aligner tray and follow a schedule with no surprises. By following the schedule, the patient's teeth will continue to move into the proper position without pain.

While wearing Invisalign, patients will not have to brush and floss between brackets with difficulty. In fact, the patient will be able to brush and floss as normal by just removing the aligner trays. However, it is crucial that the patient brush after each meal to keep food from sticking between the teeth.

Food that is stuck in the teeth can also damage the aligners. It is important that patients do not wear the aligners while drinking soda or other beverages while wearing Invisalign aligners. We recommend that patients only keep the aligners in when drinking water.

We customize the Invisalign aligners to fit the patient's teeth and then use programming technology to digitally map out the projected rate of movement for the patient. We will then build the rest of the clear aligners in the series. Each new set of aligners will be a bit closer to the correct position for straight teeth.

With a customized straightening treatment, patients do not need to worry about the aligners falling out or being loose. Since there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, we make sure that the trays are the right fit for each patient.

Invisalign aligner trays are nearly invisible to the point that few people will notice them unless the individual mentions wearing them. Patients will not have to feel embarrassed by wearing traditional metal braces or a mess of wires in their mouth on a regular basis. Invisalign allows for the patient to receive the straight smile they desire without the maintenance of going through braces treatment.

If you opt for Invisalign aligners, you will need to make fewer adjustments, unlike if you have a traditional treatment like metal braces. However, there is still an adjustment phase. Whether you are an aspiring Invisalign user or you currently have the aligners, the tips in this article will help you get the most out

Invisalign is a modern way to straighten crooked teeth, and a lot of people are considering it! However, it is important to remember that not everyone is a good candidate for every dental treatment that exists. This applies to Invisalign as well. Thankfully, we can help!Are you wondering if youre a candidate for Invisalign? Most

Oral surgery is often necessary to remove impacted teeth. A tooth is said to be impacted if it fails to emerge fully through the gum tissues because something inhibited its eruption, such as bone, malocclusion, cysts, dense soft tissue or other teeth. This problem is common with wisdom teeth, usually because there is no longer

At Kernan Family Dental, we are a CEREC dentist that specializes in creating beautiful smiles in one visit. By using the latest in dental technology, we can transform your smile into one that is bright, beautiful and one that you are proud to show off. If you live in the Jacksonville, FL area, we invite you to call our office to discuss any oral health issues you are struggling with or anything that you do not like about the appearance of your smile. We can correct both in our dental office.

As a local dentist, we understand how uncomfortable it can be to smile when one does not like his or her teeth due to unsightly gaps, dark stains, or problems with their shape. When you visit our cosmetic dentist office, we can discuss any issues that you have with your smile and create a plan for how to address it. This is the standard approach that most cosmetic dentists will take. What makes our Jacksonville dental office different is that we use the CEREC technology to improve your smile in one visit. This means even the busiest of people can take the time to have their smile improved.

However, as a CEREC dentist, we complete the process differently. If you are seeking to improve the appearance of your teeth by straightening them, covering a dark stain, closing gaps or changing their size, we can do all of this in one day. The same is true if you have a damaged tooth in need of repair. We offer a one-day treatment without the need to wear a temporary restoration, made possible by the CEREC technology. If you need a dental restoration, have a dental emergency, or simply need to improve how your teeth look, visit our Jacksonville dental office for an immediate solution.

Our CEREC system can be used to create crowns, veneers, inlays and onlays while you wait. At Kernan Family Dental, we take digital images of the tooth and mouth and immediately upload them into the software. Using CAD/CAM technology, we create a computerized image of the tooth along with the exact dimensions and blueprint for what the new restoration needs to look like. The software processes the information quickly before making comprehensive recommendations for the restoration. The software accounts for every detail.

If you are tired of hiding your smile from the world due to stained, discolored, or otherwise imperfect teeth, a cosmetic dentist can help. They specialize in various aesthetic and cosmetic procedures designed to make their patients look and feel their absolute best.Lets take a look at some of the options that they offer to